Air Micronesia began flying in 1968 from Honolulu to Guam with stops on various islands in between. Air Micronesia was bought by Continental, which subsequently merged with United, which still operates the Island Hopper service three days a week. As checked baggage, many of the passengers returning to their home islands had coolers full of groceries they had bought in Honolulu. One guy opened his and it appeared to be full of bags of snack-sized Snickers bars.
The longest leg is 5 hours from Honolulu to Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Having crossed the international date line, it's now January 12. As we descended, I noticed an oval-shaped flat atoll out the window enclosing a large bay, this was Majuro. We passed north of the island before turning left and descending for a landing at the airport, squeezed onto the south side of the narrow island. Continuing passengers can disembark here for a brief respite. While waiting in the transit area, a windy rain storm blew through.
The Marshall Islands were administered by the US (1) under a UN trustee mandate until the islands' independence in 1991. The islands are in free association with the US, permitting island citizens to live and work in the US. and obligating the US to defend the islands.
The cockpit crew which flew the aircraft from Honolulu swaps places with the crew who has been deadheading to this point (2). A mechanic and other airline personnel ride on the flight to assist at the stops. As we departed, the whole Majuro ground crew assembled to wave goodbye (2).
The Wednesday Island Hopper service skips the next two stops (at Kwajalein (a US military base) and Korsae), flying directly to Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia (4). As with Majuro, the plane flies over the island to the north before turning to land into the easterly trade wind. Pohnpei is a much hillier island the Majuro and is ringed by a barrier reef clearly visible from the air.
Due to continuing Covid restrictions (5), through passengers stayed on the plane, which was relatively empty at this point. There was a convivial atmosphere with a large number of airline employees on the plane who chatted amiably with each other and with the passengers (6).
The final stop is at Chuuk in Micronesia. The Island, formerly known as Truck, was the site of a major battle in the 1944 during the second World War.
The flight ended back in the US at Guam. Outside the terminal, I was greeted by two of the air crew who were driving home as I set off to walk the 2 miles to town. I had forgotten I was back on the U.S. The narrow dis-used sidewalk was slick with some sort of slime (from the damp climate) and abruptly ended at the edge of airport property, leaving me stranded on the side of a busy road. Back to the airport for my late flight to Palau.
(1) The FAA limits the work day of pilots, generally to 8 hours of flying time.
(2) Bikini Atoll, site of the first Hydrogen bomb test (and still uninhabitable due to the testing), is part of the country's territory.
(3) A ground crew member approached the plane holding a long stick with a clip at the end containing a piece of paper, which he held up for the pilot to take from the cockpit window. The pilot told us that telecommunications were down on the island, so they needed to go old-school with the paperwork.
(4) Micronesia is also in free association with the US, having gained their independence in 1990.
(5) One of the flght attendants told me he had seen the hospital in Chuuk (the next stop) and they could not handle the infection.
(6) One airline employee heading home to Guam sat next to me on the final leg and shared some of his home-made tuna jerkey
Majuro airport
Majuro ground crew waving goodbye while twirling their umbrellas in the rain
View of reef departing Pohnpei
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